# Voice of the Heart

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Voice of the Heart is a compilation album by American music duo Carpenters, released on October 18, 1983. Assembled from various studio outtakes, it was the duo's first album of new material following Karen's death on February 4 of that year.

## Background

The album contains the two songs from Karen's final recording sessions, "Now" and "You're Enough", from April 1982 while Karen was taking a break from medical treatment in New York and had temporarily returned to California.
Other songs on the record are previously unreleased tracks from sessions of Carpenters previous albums A Kind of Hush, Passage and Made in America.
The song "Now" was a cover of the song "Heart to Heart" by Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi, which appeared on her album Miss M.
The song "Ordinary Fool" was originally recorded during A Kind of Hush sessions.
The songs "Make Believe It's Your First Time" and "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore" were recorded during sessions for Carpenters previous studio album, Made in America, and the former eventually became a lead single for Voice of the Heart.
At least one song, "In Love Alone", was intended to be on this album, but Karen did not get the opportunity to hear the track or record a vocal for it before her death; it would be released in 1987 on Richard's solo album Time with Dionne Warwick on lead vocals.

## Reception

Billboard called it "the duo's strongest album in a decade and contains a few cuts that rank with their all-time best. The most radio-worthy are "Two Lives," a rock-edged ballad previously recorded by Bonnie Raitt; "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore," a brooding, slow-boil pop piece in the tradition of "Hurt So Bad," and "Make Believe It's Your First Time," the soft reflective ballad which is the first single. But the most gripping cut is "Ordinary Fool," a Paul Williams ballad which features the bluesiest vocal of Karen's career."
In their review, Cashbox noted that "this LP will probably be the last and most remembered collection of new songs by the brother and sister duo. One cannot help feel sad about the void she has left, but the songs featured on this LP are some of the best the duo has recorded in some time and the uplifting messages in their lyrics demand that “Voice of the Heart” be taken as a message of happiness and optimism. This is a fond farewell from a great singer who will be long appreciated for her inspirational and strong love for the music she sang."

## Personnel

* Vocals: Karen Carpenter
* Guitar: Dennis Budimir, Tim May, Tony Peluso, Fred Tackett. Steel Pedal: JayDee Maness
* Bass: Chuck Del Monico, Joe Osborn
* Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
* Drums: Ed Greene, Larrie Londin, Ron Tutt
* Percussion: Paulinho DaCosta, Peter Limonick
* Saxophone: John Phillips, Tom Scott
* Oboe, English Horn: Earl Dumler
* Flute: Tom Scott, Sheridon Stokes
* Horns: John Audino, Chuck Findley, Ron Gorow
* Harp: Gayle Levant
* Backing Vocals: Richard Carpenter, The O.K. Chorale

## Charts

| Chart (1983–1984) | Peak position |
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | 54 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 41 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 6 |
| US Billboard 200 | 46 |
| US Cash Box Top 200 Albums | 38 |

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 100,000$^^$ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000$^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||